In early October 2020, fitness centers and health clubs reopened in Massachusetts as part of the state’s Phase Three reopening plan. Fitness centers and health clubs were defined by the state as being activities including cross-training, weight and resistance training, spin classes, boot camp training, and yoga, and must follow the state’s recommended best practices. Other indoor and outdoor athletic facilities like those for tennis, gymnastics, and swimming are required to follow the Youth and Adult Sports and Pool guidance requirements. Within Phase Three, there are two steps: the first with 40-percent capacity and the second with 50-percent capacity.
“Lower risk communities,” as determined by the state, can skip to the second step of phase three. To better understand these requirements, it is important to grasp the CDC guidelines for operation during this pandemic, what businesses can do to ensure safety and other information you need to know.
Keep reading for more details!
CDC Guidelines for Gyms to Operate During the Pandemic
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) advises gyms to create a health and safety plan that identifies a central coordinator who will be responsible for COVID-19 control and assessment. They also note that gyms should implement flexible sick leave and consider in-person or virtual health checks including temperature and symptom screen.
What Businesses Can Do to Ensure Safety
While gyms and fitness centers must follow the state’s reopening requirements, there are additional precautions they can take to ensure the safety of their employees and members with utilizing disinfectant services being at the core of these activities. While states are required to implement and enforce local rules, the CDC always recommends gymgoers remain at least six-feet apart, uses personal protective equipment like face coverings, and limits the number of occupants at one time. The CDC also recommends monitoring visitor entries and exits, implementing temperature checks upon entering, and spacing equipment so exercise areas are at a minimum of six-feet apart.
A Commercial Cleaning Service like Enviro-Master Services can help gyms reopen safely with a variety of disinfection services.
Virus Vaporizer Service
Enviro-Master Services (EMS) is an industry-leading commercial cleaning company with 150 franchise locations in the United States. Our Virus Vaporizer electrostatic spraying process kills COVID-19, Norovirus, E. coli, Salmonella, Streptococcus, Tuberculosis, influenza, and MRSA on all surfaces. This is especially important in gyms where many members are touching shared equipment throughout the day.
Restroom Cleaning Service
We also offer a restroom & hygiene service which utilizes the Virus Vaporizer disinfectant to kill 99.99-percent of bacteria and germs from restroom surfaces. In addition to eliminating germs, our commercial cleaning services remove unpleasant odors caused by bacteria, refill hand soap and dispensers, and provide air care products.
Hand Hygiene Program
Having well-stocked and functioning hand sanitizing stations at key locations around your gym is critical to keep visitors safe. Our Hand Hygiene Program manages this for you to provide your members with a quick way to clean their hands after weight and equipment usage.
What You Need to Know
As a visitor to a gym, you must also take an active role in observing and following the required rules. This means if you observe a member not following the rules or not wearing personal protective equipment, you should report them to management. Furthermore, if hand sanitizing stations or other types of disinfectants are out or not working properly, management must be notified. You must also know that social distancing is a rule and not a request to go to the gym, work hard as usual, and leave within a reasonable amount of time. You will immediately notice the visual markers scattered around the facility with all the rules so just follow the posted requirements.
